For the LGBTQ+ youth sexual health education in school may feel awkward or even lack-lustre. The information given in the sex education classes is more often aimed towards the heteronormative spectrum of life. There is a need for the government to update the education given to the youth of today. On the other hand, it is not an invitation to name and shame those who are in the community but may not be ‘out of the closet’ yet. 

There are charities online to help those who are in the LGBTQ+ community if they were to discretely seek out advice and information. But there needs to be more awareness raised for same sex couples to have safe sex experiences. More so, an education heavily based on consent, but that is for another article aimed at all sexualities. 

“As far as I can remember didn’t have any queer sex education in my classes I think it was maybe mentioned once and there was no education on protection between queer couples I didn’t even know it was a thing but I know my sister who’s four years younger than me only had one lesson on it and that’s because they have a trans person in her class and he brought it up so we definitely need more,” said Grace, aged 20, from London. 

However, in schools today there needs to be more emphasis on sex education for those in same sex relationships, to show them their options rather than just keeping to heteronormative sexual health. Although there was once a stigma about HIV and Aids, the disease is now more apparent amongst heterosexual men than it is gay men. Without offending anyone an awareness needs to be raised for all sexualities of the disease and how important it is to practice safe sex and to get regular STI check-ups at your local clinic. 

“Rather than teaching abstinence schools need to keep in mind that not every young person will abstain from having sex and they need to be prepared for everything when they do start,” said Rebecca, aged 22, from London. 

The charity SASH (Support and Advice on Sexual Health) work with a plethora of people, some being; LGBTQ+ and BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) communities, sex workers, people who are newly diagnosed with HIV and those affected by domestic violence. 

An LGBTQ charity that can be used to seek out information and help is a charity called Friend, which started in 1972 and is the UK’s oldest Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans charity. They focus on supporting the health and mental health of the LBGTQ community In and around London. They offer counselling, antidote drug and alcohol support and coming out groups. 

SASH offers a range of help to their communities and is linked to the charity Friend, mentioned above. They offer counselling, person centred assessment of sexual health and wider health needs, advice, advocacy sexual health and wellbeing information and complementary therapies. 

“We have come together as a team of incredibly creative experienced and hardworking individuals from wide range of organisations and as SASH we echo the wonderful diversity of the communities in which we work,” said a SASH representative. 

For advice on any of the topics raised in this article, visit these websites for more information: